Plastic Surgery of the Face

In 1920 Harold Gillies published “Plastic Surgery of the Face”, a seminal textbook outlining his principles of plastic surgery.

The book was a dissemination of his work and the pioneering techniques performed at The Queen’s Hospital Sidcup during the first world war. At 424 pages with 844 illustrations, Plastic Surgery of the Face cost three Guineas when new.

At the time, its publication made a big professional and public impact. The contents, with graphic depictions of both the consequences of war and pioneering reconstructive techniques Gillies used to heal them were both revelatory to the surgical profession, and shocking to the public. 

The book made a big professional and public impact. The British Medical Journal said they had “no hesitation in saying that this is one of the most notable contributions made to Surgical literature in our day”. Whilst the Lancet produced a long review which said that “Mr Gillies book should go beyond the circle of his professional brethren and be distributed as a deterrent to the politicians of every country, whether things put before their eyes might well be a potent factor in promoting peace among the nations.” It was even reviewed in the Times newspaper who called it “a record not only a brilliant surgical achievement but also of the salvation, in a physical sense, of men who have been broken and injured almost out of recognition.”

A reproduction, facsimile text was produced in 1983, and distributed much more widely. The BAPRAS Collection contains both original first edition copies of the book together with a facsimilie reprint. It also holds the original pre-production publisher’s drafts for the book.